Residency in Family Medicine at Plainview Hospital

Director's welcome letter

The family medicine residency program at Plainview Hospital was founded twelve years ago by Gary K. Rachlin, DO. As one of the earliest osteopathic residency programs in the health system, the program was rooted in preventive care and the art of healing. Dr. Rachlin held dearly the sentiment of Dr. Francis Peabody's lecture to the students at Harvard Medical School in 1927.

"One of the essential qualities of the clinician is interest in humanity, for the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient."

As a result, Dr. Rachlin was dedicated to creating a program with a profound commitment to patient-centered care. In November 2012, the program suffered a tremendous loss in the sudden passing of Dr. Rachlin. He was a superior physician and exemplary mentor, beloved and appreciated by his patients, residents and colleagues. Having worked as Associate Program Directors under Dr. Rachlin's leadership for several years, Lawrence Crafa, DO, current program director, and I made a commitment to carrying out Dr. Rachlin's mission.

The family medicine residents at Plainview are an essential part of the health care team, and as an unopposed residency, provide comprehensive and superior care to patients throughout the hospital.

With compassion and enthusiasm, the program's leadership and faculty are dedicated to the professional growth of the residents. The program's goal is to provide residents with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in patient care, preparing them not only for success, but leadership in their chosen fields.

Residents work one-on-one with attending preceptors that are steadfast in their commitment to individual mentoring and resident advancement. In turn, residents serve as mentors to medical students and interns.

Our program prides itself on being dyanmic and responsive to the educational needs of our residents, maintaining an open door policy with staff, available 24/7. Our didactic program is designed to further the residents' medical knowledge, but also places emphasis on board examination preparation, professional growth, leadership development, medical/legal/ethical aspects of medicine and practice management.

Sincerely,

Tara Zahtila, DO
Director, Medical Education

Program Overview

Thank you for your interest in the Department of Medical Education at Plainview Hospital, an academic affiliate of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. Our department is committed to excellence in resident training, ensuring the attainment of outstanding patient care.

As one of the earliest osteopathic training programs established at Northwell Health, we are proud to offer residency training in Family Medicine as well as fellowship training in Sports Medicine. In addition, we offer a traditional rotating internship, designed as a comprehensive preliminary training year for physicians interested in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, radiology, or other specialties.

Our department is energetic, compassionate, enthusiastic and very dedicated to the professional growth of our residents. We maintain an open door policy, and pride ourselves on being dynamic and responsive to the needs of our residents, the Health System, and our patients.

Our goal is to provide residents with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in patient care, preparing them not only for success, but leadership in their chosen fields. As part of the Northwell Health, we are able to provide clinical and educational experiences in virtually all aspects of medicine and surgery. Residents work one-on-one with attending preceptors that are steadfast in their commitment to individual mentoring and resident advancement. Our didactic program is designed to further our residents’ medical knowledge, but also places emphasis on board examination preparation, professional growth, leadership development, medical/legal/ethical aspects of medicine, and practice management.

We believe that an understanding of community medicine and healthcare policy is inherent in a physician’s role as a community leader. In order to ensure that our residents are well-rounded and prepared to meet these challenges, we invite them to participate in community projects, and hold positions on various hospital committees. This gives our residents a unique advantage, early in their career, with an opportunity to impact health care policy, administration, and community health services. Proudly, approximately 35% of our advanced matched interns have attained leadership roles and rose to the rank of chief resident in their respective osteopathic and allopathic residencies.

The family medicine residents at Plainview are an essential part of the health care team. As an unopposed residency, our family medicine residents provide comprehensive and superior care to patients throughout the hospital. In addition, they serve as mentors to our medical students, conducting teaching rounds and a separate lecture series specifically designed for students. Since our program’s inception, our residents have maintained a 100 percent passing rate on the Family Practice Board Examination.

Application Process

Applicants interested in the family medicine training program at Plainview Hospital should apply through the electronic residency application service (ERAS). Only osteopathic medicine physicians are eligible for this program.

No applications will be accepted after Nov. 30.

Essential application information includes:

Common application form

Curriculum vitae

USMLE or COMLEX transcript

Medical school transcript

Personal statement

Dean’s letter

Three (3) letters of recommendation, no older than six (6) months

ECFMG Status Report, if applicable

Leadership

Lawrence V. Crafa, DO

Program Director - Family Practice Residency of Family Practice, Plainview Hospital

Clinical Assistant Professor, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Our representatives are available to schedule your appointment on weekdays from 8am to 8pm and weekends from 9am to 5pm. You may also leave a voicemail message after regular business hours, and we will return your call.